Liz Magill Returns to Roots as Georgetown Law Dean, Charts Course for Legal Excellence
Georgetown University Law Center has tapped legal scholar Liz Magill as its next dean, bringing her back to an institution deeply woven into her family’s history and promising a renewed focus on the school’s strengths amidst global challenges. Magill, a veteran of leadership roles at some of the nation’s most prestigious universities, assumes the deanship of the nation’s largest law school after a period of transition following her departure from the University of Pennsylvania presidency.
Magill’s connection to Georgetown Law runs deep. As she stated, “Georgetown has an unmatched combination of great attributes: its size, impact and location.” Her father, Judge Frank Magill, a nominee of President Ronald Reagan, was a proud graduate of both Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and its Law Center, instilling in his daughter a lifelong admiration for the Jesuit educational tradition. “The institution utterly transformed my family’s life,” Magill reflected, recalling stories of how Georgetown propelled her father’s career from a farm during the Great Depression to the bench.
Born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota, Magill’s academic journey began at Yale University, where she studied history. After a four-year stint as a legislative assistant for Senator Kent Conrad focusing on energy and natural resources, she pursued her own law degree at the University of Virginia School of Law in 1995, with the intention of becoming a law professor. This ambition quickly materialized, and for the past 29 years, she has held professorships at UVA, Stanford, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Her career trajectory quickly ascended beyond the classroom. Magill served as dean of Stanford Law School from 2012 to 2019, where she established the Law and Policy Lab, providing students with practical policy experience, and spearheaded a fundraising initiative that expanded the school’s global reach. In 2019, she broke barriers as the first woman to become executive vice president and provost of UVA, navigating the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing the recruitment of eight new school deans.
In 2022, Magill reached another milestone, being unanimously elected president of the University of Pennsylvania. However, her tenure at Penn concluded in late 2023 following congressional testimony regarding antisemitism on campus. Magill has since stated that the experience reinforced the importance of clearly articulating and consistently upholding core values.
Despite this recent challenge, Magill’s leadership has been widely praised. Thomas A. Reynolds, chair of Georgetown’s board of directors, affirmed, “Liz Magill brings the experience and leadership that we need to lead Georgetown Law.” Interim Dean Joshua Teitelbaum echoed this sentiment, stating, “I know Georgetown Law will be in good hands.”
Magill’s vision for Georgetown Law centers on building upon the school’s existing strengths, particularly in a world grappling with rapid technological change, evolving geopolitical dynamics, and challenges to the rule of law. She expressed admiration for the Law Center’s motto, “Law is but the means; justice is the end,” viewing it as a guiding principle rooted in Jesuit values.
She plans to advance Georgetown Law’s impact, leveraging its size and location in Washington, D.C. Magill is eager to foster a community that embraces diverse perspectives, emphasizing the school’s commitment to bringing together individuals from different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds. “Georgetown’s Jesuit values — care for the whole person, justice and service — will be my North Star,” she declared.
Magill’s return to Georgetown Law represents not only a professional homecoming but also a deeply personal one, signaling a new chapter for the institution and a renewed commitment to its enduring mission. She believes this is “the time to build on excellence and become an even stronger school.”
